Maldives lifts ban on shark fishing

The Maldives will lift its 15-year ban on shark fishing, the office of the president announced on Wednesday, August 27. Sharks were once the second-largest catch—after tuna, which remains the main source of export revenue—for this Indian Ocean archipelago of half a million people. The archipelago comprises 1,192 small coral islands stretching for about 800 kilometers.

Authorities in the archipelago, famous for its luxury hotels and diving resorts, banned shark fishing in 2010. According to articles published at the time, revenue from diving tourists had become greater than that generated by shark oil. While fishing was formally banned in March 2010, severe restrictions had been in place since 1998.

Head of State Mohamed Muizzu made the announcement Tuesday from an atoll north of the capital, Male. "Gourmet shark fishing will reopen in November as part of a comprehensive management plan," he said, stressing that it constitutes "an important source of income."

The British organization Shark Guardian expressed its concern following this decision which "not only damages the reputation of the Maldives as a global shark sanctuary" , but also puts "the national economy dependent on tourism at risk in the long term," a Shark Guardian representative told Agence France-Presse.

The Maldivians do not consume shark meat, but they once exported shark liver oil. This low-lying country is threatened by the effects of climate change, particularly rising sea levels, which are beginning to erode the coastline. Mr. Muizzu, who came to power in late 2023, has promised to combat this phenomenon through land reclamation. This technique involves extracting sand from the seabed to raise the land and create new islands or tourist infrastructure. But it has been criticized by environmentalists for its impact on the marine ecosystem.